Zodi propane shower
- Thread starter mesha
- Start date
- Location
- West Bountiful, UT
Used mine again this past weekend on HITR. My opinions have not changed since this thread last year.
I really feel the included 6V pump isn't up to snuff. But combined with the 12V setup (which you can now get from Kurt), it has been serving me well for about a year now.
- DAA
I really feel the included 6V pump isn't up to snuff. But combined with the 12V setup (which you can now get from Kurt), it has been serving me well for about a year now.
- DAA
- Location
- Sandy, Ut
If your camping outfit is some migratory (ie you use different vehicles) than the Zodi is a nice solution. If your looking for a 'set it and forget it' hot shower setup than consider the Helton solution. Engine mounted, easily heats 5 gallons in a few minutes. I had a fleet of folks showering off of my Helton this last weekend, we went through 15 gallons of shower water and the Helton was heating it as fast as we could shower with it 
choptopbII
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Clearfield, UT
The zodis are nice, we used to build parts for them at my work... and still occasionally do. It's been a while though.
solidfrontaxle
Toyota jihad
- Location
- Casper, Wyoming
I'm probably going to get a Helton soon. Showers while camping rule.
tried the zodi in the bathroom. Hose ruptured and shot scalding water everywhere. Not much help from the customer service. They sent me some troubleshooting ideas like change the batteries. Terrible flow on this thing. I think a larger pump is for sure in order. It does make the water hot. Will let you know with updates
Tried out the Zodi this weekend after a long 8 mile hike to some sweet ruins. Worked like a charm...a shower in the desert is money$$$ well spent.
FWIW, my friends had a sunshower that worked fine for them, it was 104 degrees after 8 hours up on the mountain...much cheaper alternative.
FWIW, my friends had a sunshower that worked fine for them, it was 104 degrees after 8 hours up on the mountain...much cheaper alternative.
I had the same issue with the hose melting at the outlet of the heat exchanger.
I also dislike the fact that if you turn the flow off while rinsing you have to turn the burner off or you have to put the shower head back in the source.
I think the best plan is to crank the heater up and cycle the water through your source and by the time you get camp set up the water will be nice and hot and you can turn the heater off and not worry about being burned.
I also dislike the fact that if you turn the flow off while rinsing you have to turn the burner off or you have to put the shower head back in the source.
I think the best plan is to crank the heater up and cycle the water through your source and by the time you get camp set up the water will be nice and hot and you can turn the heater off and not worry about being burned.
Smittyauto
Member
- Location
- Orem Utah
If your camping outfit is some migratory (ie you use different vehicles) than the Zodi is a nice solution. If your looking for a 'set it and forget it' hot shower setup than consider the Helton solution. Engine mounted, easily heats 5 gallons in a few minutes. I had a fleet of folks showering off of my Helton this last weekend, we went through 15 gallons of shower water and the Helton was heating it as fast as we could shower with it
I was not familiar with the Helton until I read your post. I found there website, and I am very curious about buying one. What are you using for a water supply? Can I use my 7 gallon aquatainer's and just drop a feed line in? I am also building a trailer that will have a 30 gallon water tank, I am wondering about running a hose from the trailer water supply to the pump in the engine bay, will the pump handle that?
Water supply can be just about anything (rivers, Lakes, 5 gallon jugs), aquatainers would work.. the stock pump wouldn't be all that great for to long of a water run but you can upgrade the pump easy enough.
- Location
- Sandy, Ut
I use 5 gallon MWC (Scepter water cans) if I'm in the desert or I fill a small collapsible water bucket if I have a nearby water source. The pump that is included with the kit is built into the pickup unit, thus won't work as an inline pump but water pumps are easy to come by in all the specs you could desire and in that case we offer the Helton heat exchangers loose.
Should have read your answer first, you covered it all.
Last edited:
Should have read your answer first, you covered it all.
I loved my helton that I got from you... until I sold the Jeep, and the Subaru just doesn't have room under the hood for it
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
this whole "showering while camping" thing is new to me. How do you guys take showers? Do you have privacy tents? What do you stand on? How do you keep from getting even more muddy after the shower? Enlighten me.
I usually take a shower by rinsing off with (preferably) warm water, then using soap (preferably biodegradable camp soap) to dislodge and remove foreign stains and odors, then rinsing off the soap with more water. While doing this I stand on flip flops, and when I'm showering I tell the other people to go away or they are going to be forced to admire my beautiful form. If I think my flip flops won't offer sufficient protection from muddy ground, then I lay out an old shower curtain on the ground and stand on it.
To avoid muddyness, I dry myself with an absorbent towel sourced from my bathroom prior to rolling around in the dirt.
To avoid muddyness, I dry myself with an absorbent towel sourced from my bathroom prior to rolling around in the dirt.
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
why thank you Cody, it all makes sense now
scoutabout
None
You should probably start a 20 page thread about it. Think it through. Cody's method is a great example. Sometimes just a nice face/hair wash is worth pulling out the shower gear. You are camping.